A broad variety of utilitarian novelty and recreational implements have been proposed or introduced over the past which, in one way or another, feature some form of battery powered illumination. In general, these devices have resorted to overly complex and impractical illumination schemes which involve switching structures and associated wiring providing for supplying battery power to the light source. For the most part, the need to carry out a switching function has both exascerbated product cost and has imposed unfortunate limits upon desired miniaturization.
The light emitting diode (LED) has become a popular light source for miniature devices. However, the diodes are fabricated with rather robust dual pin electrodes which are designed for insertion and supportive mounting within structures such as circuit boards and the like. The devices, for example, are not generally available having low cost light socket base configurations or the like. Thus, the designer of small illuminated implements faces the task of providing a reliable electrical connection with the diode electrode pins, as well as implementing a practical switching function while achieving a structure which is practical to manufacture at high quantity levels and correspondingly at lower costs.
Applications for which a practical illuminator assembly have been sought include, for example, recreational darts, novelty pins, fishing bobbers, glow sticks, toy applications, and a wide variety of other items. The implementation, for example, of an implement illuminator assembly with recreational darts poses particular design difficulties. Typically, the recreational dart is formed having a body portion of relatively small diameter to which a point is attached at the front end and a flight containing tail feathers is attached at the rearward end of the body. To illuminate the flight with an LED requires, for example, that the body be configured having an internal chamber to carry a battery as well as the LED and appropriate switching. The LED then may illuminate the flight once the switch is turned on. The use of externally disposed switches is highly impractical, essentially precluding the introduction of the dart structures. Of further note, when the relatively heavier material of the dart body, which may be formed, for example of steel tungsten or the like is hollowed to receive a light generating assemblage, the dart loses weight to the extent that its weight is below that considered appropriate by serious dart recreationists, for example below about 26 gm.
In view of the foregoing, an illuminator assembly which exhibits a capability for very large volume fabrication at low cost and which is capable of forming a reliable electrical circuit to a light emitting diode under wide fabricational tolerances and with a simplicity of switching actuation could find a high level of acceptance in a broad variety of industries.